FIFA vice-president Austin Jack Warner said that he will offer national footballer Arnold Dwarika one of his apartments if he is evicted.
Warner, speaking to the Guardian from Zurich, Switzerland, yesterday where he is attending to FIFA business, said he is ready to assist the player.
Three weeks ago the National Housing Authority (NHA) issued Dwarika with a letter requesting that he settles an arrangement entered in 1999 for his home at El Dorado Heights, El Dorado.
He was given 21 days or face eviction as early as next week since the deadline ended last Wednesday. Dwarika was asked to settle the full cost of the house, valued at $185,000 by next week.
Warner, the owner of Joe Public Club of which Dwarika is a player, said, "I have thought about the Dwarika issue long and hard and I have finally decided that I shall offer Dwarika one of my apartments to live at a reduced rent until I can find a place for him and his family."
Warner who is heading for Jamaica tomorrow morning, for a Host Broadcasters' meeting, said, "I sincerely hope that the people of Tunapuna in particular, and T&T in general, have learnt some useful lessons from this level of vindictiveness".
Former Housing Minister Sadiq Baksh said yesterday, "Everything was done within the Statutory of the NHA who has the authority, and the gift for Dwarika was agreed to by the Government. I'm willing to meet with Dwarika to settle this matter of PNM victimisation."
He added, "Nothing surprises me about the PNM's victimisation. They are just taking away from the people". Dwarika, 28, the 1999 TTFF "Player of the Year", was presented with a new three-bedroom apartment as a gift for his success on the football field in January 2000 at a Joe Public function at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya. Present at that function then were Prime Minister Basdeo Panday and other Government officials.
Former PM Basdeo Panday, citing what he called the PNM's senseless victimisation, spoke about Dwarika possible eviction and similar fate to other tenants who are occupying apartments at Savannah Villas in Aranguez, during a news conference at the UNC office on St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, last Wednesday.
Panday said, "Dwarika's flat was one of ten given to persons who have made a contribution to this country." Dwarika, a father and husband said, "I have a letter from the NHA which states the apartment is mine. In fact, the document was the only way that T&TEC would have given me lights and I have put in lights, painted and done other work on the house."
When contacted, Housing Minister Danny Montano said on Friday that there was no Cabinet minutes to show that the gift was approved.